J.W. Blanton, Sr. papers

A Guide to the Collection

Jephthah W. Blanton was a member of the Educational Commission of 1910 which established Southern Methodist University. He remained a friend and donor to the university for many decades. This collection includes correspondence, papers and signed notes by J.W. Blanton, Sr. concerning SMU and its financial history, two scrapbooks given to Robert Hyer and Umphrey Lee by Blanton. Especially note that Dr. Lee's scrapbooks contain photographs of campus buildings circa 1938.

Jephthah W. Blanton was a member of the Educational Commission of 1910 which established Southern Methodist University. He was also an outstanding Methodist layman and a leader in the business and civic affairs of Dallas. He worked on behalf of vital interests in the community and region and remained a dedicated friend of Southern Methodist University for half a century. In 1961, he was conferred a Doctor of Laws honorary degree from SMU.

Mr. and Mrs. Blanton donated the funds for the Blanton Student Observatory in 1934 when SMU was more in the country than it is today, as well as a scholarship and many numerous donations to SMU.

This collection contains a number of documents from and about Southern Methodist University’s early history. Among them are two histories of SMU’s first years written by J.W. Blanton. Sr., documents concerning the founding of SMU by the Methodist church, and documents concerning a loan given by Mr. Blanton in the amount of $2,000 to SMU in 1919.